


Bite me

by MissFieryHeart



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Fandom
Genre: A little angst, Art made by Camminliu on Tumblr, Don’t know if this is going to get Explicit yet, F/M, Finn was a gangmember under Kylo once, In honor of a cute fan art of Priest!Ben and Vampire!Rey, Kissing, Kylo saved him and became a Priest, Kylo!gangmember hinted at (from his past), More angst, Poe is an old friend of the Organa-Solo-Skywalker family, Priest!Ben, Rey is sweet, Rey watch out, Vampire Hunters are comming, a little fluff, helpful ben, more fluff/love, neck sucking, or Priest!Kylo, vampire!rey, whatever rocks your boat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-06-22 12:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15581775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissFieryHeart/pseuds/MissFieryHeart
Summary: A sweet story about Vampire!Rey and how she crosses paths with Priest!BenInspired by Reylo fan art made by Camminliu.https://camminliu.tumblr.com/image/176516234190





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I reasently saw Camminliu’s sweet Reylo art work on Tumblr and this story was inspired (and written) the same evening.  
> So forgive me for any mistakes I’ve made along the way. 
> 
> The title is a bit “meh” but it’s already past 3 am in the morning and my brain isn’t working anymore ^^

 

 

It’s hard to become a vampire involuntary, even harder to get food when you don’t want to force people to feed you their blood.

 

 

Rey sighed and looked up at the rain falling down onto the small town. The night stretched on its sixth hour on this cold October night as Rey kept herself unmoving on the old church roof. Trying to gather her courage to enter the house of God, hoping that a priest at least wouldn’t turn her down. Maybe and that was a big maybe in her estimate as well as risk to expose herself like this.

 

Her stomach growled and she felt light-headed. _Should that even be positive?_ No one had told her how to be a vampire or the specifics so lightheartedness and stomach growling was just another thing on her list of things to figure out. Right now it was food on the very top of that list. Rey stood, to leap down onto the ground below her, but in her woozy state her foot slipped on the wet roof, causing her to loose balance. Her last conscientious thought as she fell over the roofs edge and plummeted towards the ground, was how much she really sucked at being a vampire.

 

...

 

Ben Solo, priest in the small Parrish on this island, had yet again spent the evening past midnight puttering about in his church. Latest thing on the this nights list was trying ( _again_ ) to fix the pesky electrical... _thing_... that had not been functioning for almost a week now. Wires hanging loose and taunting him.

 

Ben sighed and closed the old fuse box. He went back towards his earlier project of the night, polishing the old wooden benches in the basement. Now that the last few was done, Ben was finally done with days worth of work.

 

Everything that had to be done was on him, or if the church could afford it (witch it couldn’t) hire help from outside. _Of course it wasn’t entirely necessary to have lights in his office_ , he thought sarcastically. Just a luxury to have, in a church that had been falling apart for the last sixty years or so.

 

Ben sighed heavily, reminding himself that he shouldn’t let this get to him. Taking over from his uncle Luke, had been a privilege as well as the mans dying wish. To ‘ _be where the need is greatest_ ’ uncle Luke had told him on his deathbed. Not that the church was flooding with people on Sundays, neither in the office hours for those in need of a priest.

 

Ben wasn’t doubting his choice to come here, to live in the little outskirts of a small island. Its only inhabited a few hundred people spread out over this little town and few houses up the mountain. But... once every blue moon, Ben found it hard not to despair. To not feel lonely in his small church just up the hill from the little town.

 

Ben shook his head and ignored the depressing thoughts for now. He lived a simple life but looking over his hard work made him smile satisfied. This was enough, he smiled to himself. This was okay.

 

Ben gathered the dirty paper towels to be discarded and walked outside the cellar door and up the stairs to where the bins stood. Tossing it, Ben noticed a big lump laying on the cobblestones a few feet away. Ben froze when his eyes adjusted to the darkness and heavy rain and realized that the pile of clothes was a person. He rushed over, his heart pounding behind his ribs, while franticly checking for injuries.

 

A girl, or a young woman, dressed like she was going to a costume party. Ben frowned, _weird_. He checked for a pulse but found none on her ice cold skin. His blood rushes in his ears, figuring the girl must have jumped from the rooftop.

 

Ben sat back grief-stricken, the rain still pouring down on him. _What could have driven this young woman to do such a thing?_ Hands in his hair, Ben screamed frustrated into the night. His heart breaking for this young life stolen away in such a brutal manner. His screams however caused the girl to groan softly, though not yet open her eyes. Ben looked her over, perplexed and choked. Perhaps he was more inept to check for a persons pulse than he thought. Perhaps... perhaps she was simply drunk?! Had just passed out next to the church on her way home from whatever costume party that she came from. Ben carefully lifted her up and carried her down into the basement and closed the door.

 

Inside where the light thankfully hadn’t given up (yet, anyways) he could see a rather nasty bruise on her face. Ben placed her carefully onto a dry church bench and looked around for his phone. The local doctor had to be called no matter what, drunk or not, especially with that kind of bump to the head.

 

She groaned again and Ben’s eyes found her face again, phone momentarily forgotten. This time he noticed her bruise had nearly shrunk to half its size on her face. His eyes widened and he stepped back in fear. _A vampire!_ He had heard drunken tales about them them being real, that they wasn’t just in movies and books, but as a man of faith Ben never really thought such nonsense could be true.

 

Seeing her lying on the old church bench, injures shrink into nothing, Ben’s world went sideways. What should he do? Could he even do anything? He wasn’t violent and the thought of staking this young lady made his stomach turn. No, he would just have to wait and hope to plead for his life, because taking a life, immortal or not, was a path he would never take. His cross around his neck was perhaps harmful to her, so perhaps he could use it as a shield. Ben clenched it protectively in his hand and silently watched the girl slowly waking.

 

Rey groaned and touched her head. She was still dizzy but she assumed that was more from hunger than the actual fall. It wasn’t the first time she had taken a leap and fallen, only to wake soon after again. She hadn’t eaten in days and even then it was only a little squirrel, that made her puke most of the blood back up. Apparently animal blood was not her diet and seeing the tiny animal, no longer alive because it’s lack of blood, Rey had cried heartbroken for hours, sobbing into the brown fur. No, no more animals, so that’s why she was... the church, the fall. It all came back to her.

 

Rey sat up and blinked a few times, disoriented to where she was. Someone cleaned their throat next to her and her panic and survival instincts kicked into high gear. She jumped up and gestured wildly with her fingers like they were actual claws “I’m a VAMPIRE. Grrr... I need blood. YES! _uhm_... Blood! Blood! Blood! I’m... I’m VERY dangerous”.

 

A snigger causes her to look in the direction of... oh, the priest. But he didn’t look scared. His head was tilted a bit to the side and there was a smile tugging on his soft lips. His face shined compassion and empathy, a breathtaking relief from ‘ _No, please don’t kill me_ ’ or ‘ _I will stake you, filthy demon spawn’_. Rey visible relaxed and sunk back onto the bench. Less worried but still not enough to take her eyes off the priest, instead of looking for a possible exit. He seemed safe... for now.

 

Ben let go of his cross and let his arms rest along side his body in a none-threatening way. The girl was _anything but_ scary and he had to bite his tongue to not outright laugh at her, at her little show of _trying_ to be scary. She looked even younger now, vulnerable and outright tired. He wondered shortly if vampires even slept, but stored that question to another time.

 

Very gently he walked to the bench and sat an arms length away from her. “So, you are a dangerous vampire” his lips quivering with laughter. Rey pouted and crosses her arms over her chest “yes, I am! And you best behave.. _or else!_ ” She stated, looking like a child trying to act brave. Ben smiled and tried his hardest to not snigger again. Instead he respectfully nodded and agreed “of cause. What may I call you miss?”

 

She unfolded her arms and frowned. “You... you’re really not scared of me, are you”. She almost looked devastated to Ben but realizing that if vampires really excised, then the dangers like sunlight and wooden stakes (witch was all around them basically in form of various wooden objects) was most likely to be true as well.

 

Ben took a look around the basement and then met her eyes. Nervously her eyes flickered around them as well, clearly alarmed by her ‘wooden’ environment. Ben slowly lifted one hand towards her, to gain her attention “you have nothing to fear from me miss. My name is Ben. How did you come to be here of all places”. It was a small island and even smaller town, so how she ended up here was remarkable for a vampire, since boats was the only transportation and they only sailed in the daytime.

 

Rey tried a small smile, thankful for the kindness in his eyes. Perhaps she could ask after all, even without him being afraid, witch was a better alternative than she could have imagined. “I was hunted on the mainland, so I snug onboard on the first boat I saw to hide. They didn’t find me and I kinda stayed put and hoped it would end up somewhere, where they couldn’t find me.”

 

Ben looked concerned “ _them?_ ” Rey nodded and looked down at her fingers, nervously fiddling with them. “Yes, hunters. I was stupid enough to not realize who I asked for food, until it was too late and she pulled a stake on me. Apparently they had been a group of hunters in the area, hunting vampires, but I didn’t know.” She looked up with tears in her eyes “I just try to keep my head down and survive, you know”. 

 

Ben glided along the bench to sit next to her and carefully took her small hands in his. “So, you... _ask_ for bloo... uhm, nourishment” Ben asked politely, to avoid that word, like the girl did. She nodded and looked down again with a little sniffle. She seemed to be embarrassed of that fact, but why she would be; to behave more human than vampire, Ben could not fathom. She should feel pride in keeping her humanity and not succumb to the monster that she was made into.

 

She still hadn’t lifted her head again and kept quiet. Perhaps waiting for him to continue. “So... you ask _every_ time?” Ben asked softly, afraid he would disrupt this fragile balance between them. She nodded to his question and Ben noticed that she was shivering. Perhaps it wasn’t embarrassments to her acting human, but her being a monster. Living with a humans continence but a vampires hunger, Ben couldn’t imagine many people would let her...

 

“Are you hungry miss”? This time she nodded urgently, but still didn’t look up. Ben pauses and stroke his thumb over her cold hand. _Poor, brave thing_ , Ben mused. She could have overpowered him in seconds and still she hadn’t. Clinging desperately to her humanity. “Would you like to feed on me”. Ben almost didn’t finish his sentence before she looked up, tears streaming down her face and choked out a thankful “yes” that sounded more like a sob than anything else.

 

His heart broke for her, he couldn’t imagine what she had been going though. Ben slowly took one hand away from hers and raised it up to remove his clerical collar. Ben placed the white slip of plastic behind him on the bench and moved his hand up to unbutton the top of his cassock. All done very slowly to not frighten her with sudden movements.

 

The young girl looked so hopeful, so unbelievably relieved when Ben tilted his head to the side. She looked at his exposed neck, licking her lips nervously and then back into his eyes seeking permission. He gave her a small smile, nodded and closed his eyes.

 

Rey swallowed, sat up on her knees and leaned in. Her fangs emerged, hesitating a second more to take in his body language; it was completely relaxed and trustingly waiting for her to bite him. Her fangs sank into his warm flesh and a rush of ecstasy roared through her body. The sweet taste of sustenance filled down her throat and she moaned softly, while her fingers clenched the priestly robe to draw herself closer to his solid chest.

 

Ben tried not to blush at the sweet, little moans coming from her. Not only was she beautiful, but she wasn’t like any vampire he had ever imagined would be like. He had excepted her to entice him with her looks and then attack him to feed when he let his guard down. Instead she had crumbled when asked about her ‘rare nutritional diet’.

 

Ben listened to her sounds and let his mind drift. Unthinking, he lifted a hand to stroke her hair. She purred happily before he realized just what he had done to conjure that sound. He stilled his hand, taking stock of the situation, but when she whines and pulled his robes, Ben relaxed and continued to stroke her hair.

 

Perhaps next time he should be more careful, Ben though. He hadn’t even thought about the consequences for touching her while she fed. For all he knew, touching her out of nowhere while feeding could have the same dangerous effect as trying to pet a lioness during feeding time. Not very thoughtful, Ben chided himself.

 

Ben took a relaxing breath and could smell the scent of rain on her. Ben frowned. Now that he thought about it, was her hair also still wet. It just hit him that they both were completely soaked through from being outside. When she was done feeding, he would suggest her a warm bath and some borrowed clothes. Perhaps she would like to sleep in the basement during the day. Well, if she wanted to stay for the day of cause. Ben didn’t know what most normal people did, let alone what vampires did.

 

Rey felt relaxed and almost full, when she felt his pulse slowly drop. She learned that the hard way, how one should always be mindful of how much blood humans could be without. Her bag with the normal juice boxes was most likely still in the alley where she met the hunter, but seeing as they were in a church, Rey was confident that she could find the kind priest something to drink. Alter whine if all else failed.

 

The girl only nibbled on the wound now and then pulled away. She gave him a tight lipped smile, most likely to hide her teeth stained with blood. It would probably be a frightful sight if not for the fact that he felt completely safe with the little vampire. “Thank you Ben. I regret that I lost my bag with bandages and juice in it, but if you wouldn’t mind, I’d be happy to find some for you”.

 

Ben smiled and stood, determined to be a good hosts and find it plus some dry clothes for both of them. He didn’t get further than up and then tilted back, his large body slammed back onto the wooden bench. The girl reached out for him panicked and grabbed his sides to steady him. “I’m so sorry” she burst out.

 

Ben frowned a her outburst and looked at her. Her beautiful, smiling face was contoured into misery and hurt. “I’m so sorry” she repeated. “Please don’t move. I... I...” her lips quivered and her eyes started to shine with tears. Ben panicked and grabbed out to hold her cheeks in his hands. “Hey. Hey, listen, it’s not your fault. I should have listened when you told me to stay put. It’s not your fault, okay”.

 

Ben looked into her shining eyes. She was so fragile and all he wanted was to hug her and never let her go. He never felt this protective about anyone. It was silly really, Ben knew that. Especially seeing as she was much stronger than him... or at least he thought she was. She still hadn’t used any vampire-super-human-strength on him, so really he was just going by the books and movies at this point.

 

The girl looked somewhat nullified by his words, though still a bit weary. “You sure?” she implored him. Ben smiled reassuringly “yes I am. I promise you. I have been busy working inside for hours now so I might have forgotten to hydrate myself.” Ben sat up straight “how about this. We wait a bit, after your professional advice, how long it takes before I can stand and we go find something together. I’ll even bury my pride and let you catch me should I fall”.

 

Rey was all lean muscles _before_ she was turned and now she could _easily_ carry him bridal-style up the stairs if need be. That mental image and what he joked about his pride, nearly made Rey doubled over giggling. Ben looked at her like he suddenly remembered something. “So, let’s try this again. Hi, I’m Ben” and held out his hand. She beamed at him and took his hand. “I’m Rey.”

 

...

 

With the blood loss and no fluids replenished in his body, Ben ended up with his promise upheld and leaned on Rey’s shoulder the whole way up to the kitchen. Rey found the light switch right away and Ben had to wonder if there was something about the ‘fact’ that vampires could see in the dark or she simply had a good intuition for light switches placed in weird places. A few clicks without anything happening Ben realized that Rey still tried to turn on the light. “Don’t bother” he smiled at where her face would be, his eyes still not adjusting to the darkness. “It’s only half my church that there’s light in”. Rey hummed and placed him down onto a chair. “Luckily the fridge and oven still works though”.

 

Rey took out a pincher and showed it to Ben, silently asking if that one was okay. “That’s fine; it’s lemonade. It’s freshly made by the way, you want some?” Ben winched right after he asked. Rey just smiled and walked to the shelve with glasses and poured him a glass. Standing sentry in front of him, she looked at him. “Sooo, why aren’t your lights fixed?” She asked politely.

 

Ben shook his head, smiling bitterly and gulped half a glass down right away. “ _That_ , my dear, is the eternal fight between me and my nemesis: the electric... _thingie_ in the basement.” Rey lifted an eyebrow and crooked her head to the side “electric thingie?? Oh, you mean a fuse box?” Rey said with an eagerness he couldn’t place. “Yes I believe so, but before you say it’s easy: there is a ton of old wires hanging loose left and right and it’s not just changing a fuse” he sighed defeated. “Lets just say _it_ has won more times than I care to admit”.

 

The little vampire stood tall and proud in the dark kitchen with her hands firmly placed on her hips. “Well, _I_ can fix it” she stated with fiery passion. He frowned, “you can?” It would be wonderful to not have to work with paperwork and laptop on a church bench, where his parishioners normally sat every Sunday, or on the floor in the narrow hallway where the light was still working as well. His back had been killing him for the past week.

 

Once he even tried to sit in the basement to work but even if the light still worked there, it was still too dark for reading in the large basement (and a bit creepy, not that he would ever admit to that). But lights out or not, that would not stop Ben Solo with all his other projects in the church. His church was falling apart and he had to fix this ol’ gal’ up in tip top shape for all her parishioners to enjoy.

 

“Well, alright” Ben poured another glass and drank it down just to be sure he wouldn’t pass out as they would venture down to the basement again. He wasn’t sure his pride could survive her outright carrying him. Looking at her form, he realized once again that they both was in wet clothes. “Uhm, how about we get you some dry clothes first. Perhaps a warm bath? I don’t want you to get sick.”

 

Rey shook her hands in front of herself “oh , it’s sweet of you but I don’t get sick.” She looked like she thought it over. “Though getting cleaned up and having some dry clothes on does sound nice. You think you can wait a bit with the wires”? Ben smiled and nodded “of cause, then I can find you some blankets and a mattress” he looked at her thoughtfully “you do still sleep, don’t you?” Rey’s face lit up. “Yes... you’re letting me stay?”

 

Ben’s chest clenched at her happiness for such a small gesture and he stood slowly, making sure he could balance himself again. “Of cause I’m letting you stay, Rey”. He looked at her with sincerity. “You can stay for as long as you like”. He didn’t manage to see her reaction before Rey nearly toppled him over with a tight hug. Mumbling ‘thankyouthankyouthankyou’ into his still damp robe.

 

He placed his arms around her, hugging her just as tightly back. Luke had always refrained from most psychical touches outside their own family, except a firm handshake to greet parishioners every Sunday morning. It ‘ _could send the wrong message and bring thoughts of intimacy_ ’ his uncle once said. Of cause back then Ben though his uncle to be just too paranoid, but now... having Rey’s small body tugged into his embrace, Ben could definitely see how it could send an entirely wrong picture. A picture clear as day that now lingered in his mind.

 

Clearing his throat, Ben reluctantly let her go. Rey stepped away and he could see the outline of her smile. They walked out into the lit hallway to the back of the church, to his living quarters. He spotted Rey keeping an eye out for him, should he stumble and fall. This time however it went a lot better, luckily for Ben’s wounded pride. When they entered his bedroom both of them kept a bit of distance to each other. Both of them eying the queen sized bed nervously. Ben never thought of taking a wife and his wild youth has been years behind him, but having Rey here was... distracting to say the least.

 

Towels and clothes were found quickly to distract his stupid brain and Ben hoped Rey wouldn’t notice. He gave her a T-shirt and one of his pair of training pants with a string. That would have to suffice for now he hoped. Rey said she lost her bag on her run to escape, so Ben only imagined it would mean clothes as well. He thought of the small clothing store in town. Surely they had something of use and he could surprise Rey tomorrow night once the sun went down.

 

Distracted by his musings, he hears Rey clearing her throat next to him. She looked slightly amused, her face bathed in the light from the hallway. “Sorry” Ben said embarrassed. He quickly gave her the small pile of fabrics and she looked to the small bathroom and frowned. “You go first” nodding her head in the direction of the shower. Before he could argue, she continued with a small smile “I can’t get sick, but you can”.  _Oh_ , he hadn’t even thought about that.

 

...

 

A quick bath taking in turns and a few more shy looks when she gave him her wet clothes through the small opening of the door so it all could be tossed into the dryer. Ben found his old mattress he uses on visits, while Rey used the shower and a spare toothbrush. He smiled remising. Ben couldn’t believe Luke had saved that old thing for so long. Well, it would do just fine for now.

 

He placed it next to the door, waiting patiently till Rey was done and dressed and then they could _both_ go down there and get her settled in for the night. Despite her strong vampire body, something told him that abandoning her while she wasn’t looking would not be received calmly. Ben couldn’t even imagine how she must have lived life. Turned into something she clearly didn’t want to be; on the run; he could see it in her eyes, she was so lonely.

 

The shower stopped running and moments later Rey emerged. She looked so small and adorable in the oversized clothes. She had to fold up the length of the pants and she was swimming in his T-shirt. “Ready to see your new bedroom” he asked with a smile. Rey smiled and gave him a curt nod “yep”.

 

Of cause the little firecracker had insisted on lifting the mattress. Ben had let her and walked behind her, amused with her borrowed blankets and pillow in his arms. He noticed how she almost bounced along the hallway and down the stairs. Happy to help and to be able to stay. ‘ _Will you let me stay’_  she had asked. _Of cause I would, sweetheart_ , Ben though to himself and smiled.

 

...

 

Despite the hordes of old church benches and a ton of other various items taking up space beneath the old church, the basement still had more than enough space to make a small area for Rey. Ben’s mind already running thirty miles per hour, having ideas on a new bed for her, making sure the basement door to the outside would be either closed off or having to build an extra wall inside so sunlight would never touch her, should the door by mistake get opened during the day.

 

Rey walked around, looking for a spot to call her own, she turned and asked about a few things. Ben knew how every item down here came from, what they used to plan with them and what items were most likely never to see the light of day again. Rey had smiled sadly “just like me” and looked at him with those big, sad eyes. He placed her linens on a church bench and took the mattress off her, tilting it against the benches. Then he drew her into a hug. “I will be right here with you, Sweetheart”.

 

Rey squeezed him tighter and nodded into his chest. They stood there for a long time, silently embracing each other. When they finally parted, he could she had a tear running down her cheek. He thumbed it away and stroke her cheek. “I’ll be right here. No one knows you’re here, right”. Rey sighed relieved “no, no one knows. I don’t think they even saw me turn towards the harbor when they...”. He hugged her again. “Hey, shhh. It’s okay. It will be okay, Rey”.

 

Ben looked past her, trying to figure this out. She clearly had trouble being left alone and he couldn’t really blame her. He took a deep breath. “Rey”. He waited a bit. “Yes?” She sounded meek and scared. Okay, this solution could go sideways if she doubted his intentions. Ben cleared his throat “would you... would you like me to stay with you”? Her quick nodding into his chest and her blushing tip of her ears shouldn’t make him smile as much as it did.

 

They made another trip to gather more blankets when there wasn’t another mattress to be found. Rey had blushed and asked if Ben as a priest was still okay. She tried to seem like it was okay to leave her alone down there but he waved it away with “it’s not like I haven’t been intimate in my wild youth. Lying fully clothed is completely fine, even if we should be a little squished”.

 

They took his phone, some crackers and water for Ben, his bible and a few books in case one or the other woke and didn’t want to wake the other. Rey had quickly build a small nest of the few materials they had, while Ben double and triple checked that the door to the outside was locked.

 

Rey smiled and started to tug in for the remainder of the night. Ben laying down next to her, glad they took his thick duvet down as well. It was chilly but not enough that he worried he would get sick. Not that it mattered. He wouldn’t leave Rey alone, no matter what would happen to him.

 

They tried to settle down, shuffling around and burying into duvet and blankets, but the mattress was simply too small. Rey sighed and Ben suddenly felt afraid that she would insist that he should go back to bed to get proper sleep. They laid on their sides, facing each other. The soft light from the old light bulbs along the wall letting Ben see all the emotions painted clearly on her face. rejection, fear, loneliness.

 

“Rey, do you trust me”? Ben whispered. Hope shined in her eyes while she nodded slowly. “Let’s get some sleep, okay”. She frowned and for a moment was about to ask, when Ben laid down, tugged her body to him and folded his duvet over her body as well. He could feel her smile against his chest and felt her body finally relax. “Okay. Goodnight Ben” she whispered. “Goodnight...” he answered softly, a smile tugging on his lips as he kissed her hair. “Sweetheart”.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben goes shopping and spends the evening with Rey. And a fuse box may finally meet its match ^^

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is way longer than I planed.

 

Next day, Ben awoke to an arm slapped over his face. A rather brutal wake up call, if anyone asked him. Though it only took him one look at Rey lying next to him and his sore face was all but forgotten.

 

She made a little sound in her sleep and had a troubled frown scrunching up her face. Perhaps a bad dream, he though. Ben gently tugged her along his clothed body and watched how she snuggled into his body, with a sigh of relief before she seemed to drift off into a dreamless sleep again.

 

Well, he wasn’t going to get up now then... at least not until Ben was sure she would be okay on her own. He vehemently ignored his brain, telling him that Ben was just making excuses to stay and cuddle with her. Nope, he just wanted to make sure she wasn’t uncomfortable and scared. That’s all.

 

Of cause thinking of leaving, Ben though to be sure to leave a note for her, so Rey wouldn’t think that he just ditched her. Again, just to be informational. Certainly nothing to do with the mere thought of Rey being sad and alone stung his heat in a very uncomfortable way. _Not at all_.

 

Ben could just about reach his phone with his fingertips on the other side of Rey. Of cause as soon as he shuffled around, she snuggled closer to him and mumbling something into his shirt. Looking down at her Ben couldn’t help the smile spreading on his lips. She looked so cute, all curled up into him and making sounds like a kitten or a puppy would in their sleep.

 

Leaning over her body to reach his phone, she snuggled up below his chin, smacking her lips on his neck and hummed. Could vampires sleep-talk? Or more importantly: ‘sleep-eat’?? Rey seemed to take a deep breath, inhaling his scent and with another soft sigh, she seemed to fall back into a deep sleep.

 

Finally breathing again, Ben realized he had held his breath, ready to wake her if Rey had tried to bite him. Not that Ben wouldn’t let her, but he thought Rey should at least be aware she did it. Especially now that she hated being a vampire so much, finding out she were attacking people while sleeping, was probably not something that would help Rey cope with this whole vampire situation.

 

Phone in hand, Ben laid down again and tugged her close with his arm around her, his hand absently drawing circles on her clothed side. With his free hand, Ben took a double take when he noticed the time. It was already 11:41. Lucky for him, with the whole church locked up, people - if any came for office hours at all - would assume their priest was out on house call.

 

Taking a deep breath to calm himself and shoo away the bad conscience that followed for not being there for his flock. Ben reminded himself that here in his arms, was one in desperate need for his help. And provide it, he would.

 

Starting to check his mails (just so his conscience would stop poking him for the office hours) Ben then checked his towns supplies of everything from ladies clothing to furniture and... curtains and room dividers. Especially those! Ben gave the double doors to the outside a hasty glance. Yeah, _definitely_ those first. Or if that didn’t work, then a big-ass brick wall.

 

-

 

A good thing about living in such a small town, was that everything was within walking distance. Looking down at Rey lightly snoring, Ben just hoped he could find all he needed for his little ‘refugee’. Otherwise he would have to order it online and wait for the boats to arrive with it.

 

Smiling down at Rey, he shook his head to focus and looked at the time again. 13:10. Ben frowned, the time had passed quicker than he realized. But since Rey seemed to be sleeping more soundly now, it was time to get up, so Ben eased his way carefully out of his arms. He only got a small frown in her sleep for his efforts but otherwise she seemed to sleep on. A very heavy sleeper but also very dangerous given the Hunters.

 

Ben checked the double doors were locked once more, before he went upstairs. He quickly showered and dressed dark jeans and a button-up (also dark, of cause) and the finishing touch his priest collar into the shirt collar. There, now he felt ready to go shopping.

 

A last minute he quickly scrambled a note for Rey, saying he was going down to town but would be back before dinner. Ben smiled and added a tiny wink’y smily face and walked down as silently as he could and planted his note next to his bible. Only affording himself one more look at Rey sleeping, before walking back up.

 

-

 

Ben checked off the last thing on his list and squinted at the October sun. His trip to buy furniture had been fruitful and got Joe to deliver it all in his truck to the church. Ben had even found a lamp made entirely out of old metal pipes and for some reason he was sure Rey would like that.

 

Old Maz had helped him a lot with clothes for his ‘church refugee’ and even donated extra sneakers, boots and a pile of undergarments that Ben stood tastefully and distinctively looking outside the window when Maz had smirked and picked them all out from his description of her size. With the pile of delicates in a bag and out of sight, Ben could safely look at Maz again.

 

“It’s not like I don’t remember you from your youth, young Solo” she pointed an wrinkly finger at him. “I remember the stories your uncle and your father told”. Ben frowned “you knew my father too”. From what Ben knew, only Luke had ever set foot on this island. Maz just laughed and waved him off.

 

Ben gathered up all the bags and said his thanks. Maz walked him to the door with a smile. “You tell your little refugee, that she can just come down here if the size is wrong. I’ll help her out, okay” she said, padding his arm. Ben looked down at the old lady and out into the daylight. He guessed Maz would still be open after the early sundown.

 

“Sure, she had a long night, so she might sleep most of the day. I mean, she was very tired... so uhm... but yeah, sure, I’ll let her know”. Ben winced at his fumbling. Maz squinted up at him suspiciously for a moment but shrugged and trotted into the shop, leaving him on the doorstep to the shop.

 

Sighing heavily, Ben started to walk up to hill towards the church. All the things on his list bought, plus a few extra impulse buys he though Rey should have. Ben smiled to himself, he felt so much more alive and... well, happy with her here. And it’s not even been a day since she showed up.

 

His phone rang and Ben had to shuffle around with the bags before he could answer. Seeing the caller ID, Ben grinned and answered. “Mother, hi”. “Hi Ben” his mother answered, sounding a bit worse for wear. Most likely her political dealings that pesters her like always. “Funny you should call, I have the most crazy story to tell you”. Leia only hummed and let him continue, not once stopping in his tale.

 

“And can you imagine” he laughed. “All these times dad was scaring me with vampire stories, they were actually real all along” Ben’s laughter slowly died out when his mother didn’t respond. He looked at his phone; still connected, so why wasn’t she laughing or saying anything?

 

Frowning, Ben asked confused “mom, is everything alright. I know it’s crazy and I swear I wouldn’t lie about something like this.” Leia cut him off laughing a bit strained “oh nonono, dearie. I would never take you for a liar. That girl sounds absolutely delightful. I must meet this enchanted little thing.”

 

Ben knew it was a fairly long trip but he hadn’t seen his mother in a while, so why not. He was sure Rey would appreciate more friendly people around her in her situation. “Yeah sure, you know where to find me” Ben joked “when do you want to visit”? His mother’s voice sounded more dark of a sudden “oh, I’ll just have to take care of a few things and then I’ll have your father fly me over. See you soon, dearie”. She hung up on him before he could say goodbye.

 

Ben looked down at his phone and frowned. That was a bit strange, but Ben shrugged it away with her having a busy schedule. He pocketed the phone and distributed the shopping bags in both hands again and smiled. He was nearly home and he couldn’t wait to show Rey it all.

 

-

 

Ben looked down at the little sleepyhead, still snoring and hugging Ben’s pillow like it was a teddy bear. She looked adorable and he had to remove himself from the basement before he ‘accidentally’ woke her up to show her all the stuff he got her. Funny how this young woman could make him feel like an over eager puppy at times.

 

Ben put the bags in his office (It was close to the basement after all) and went through the church to the outside where the furniture had been delivered. It was planned cleverly to be the first things so while he had been shopping for the rest on his list these items would be delivered. Lunch in town had been another important point on his list. A healthy salad with a steak and loads of water. Now that he had someone depending on his nutrients, Ben though it would only be right to make sure he was healthy and hopefully tasty.

 

The huge bed frame, mattress and linens were carried in first all the way in to the safety of the his office (once he hung up the extra fabric to completely shut off any light of cause). Then the dresser that needed to be assembled and the lamp that Ben had seen and thought that Rey would like. It was funny how he would see things and right away know somehow if she would like it. Perhaps he was just projecting, they didn’t know each other at all but something about last night just felt like... _fate_ , somehow.

 

-

 

Rey woke with a startle and was about to spur her ‘grrr I’m a dangerous vampire’ until she remembered where she was. Sighing heavily, Rey thumped down onto the springy mattress. She was safe, she was with Ben. Frowning she looked around for said person, finding no one. Her eyes caught the note:

 

_‘morning Rey,_

_I have some business to attend in town._

_Will be back before dinner ;)_

_\- Ben_

 

Rey giggled at the little smiley face. If he wasn’t a priest, then... _no_. She couldn’t think like that. She was a monster now and Ben definitely deserved way better than that. And even if she hadn’t been violently turned, she would still be an orphan and a nobody... Rey folded her arms around herself. Still, Rey had to admit the immense safety and warmth she felt with Ben holding her. At least she was safe now and with a kind person. Counting ones blessings and all.

 

Standing up, she tried to figure out if the sun had set yet. Of cause the door leading up to the church was safe enough to go through. With the hallway there and with no windows giving outside lights perhaps she could find Ben in the adjacent rooms. She just hoped Ben hadn’t opened the door to the church where the entire room was bathed in natural light. She didn’t care much for finding out if her vampire body could go ‘poof’ because of in-direct sunlight.

 

The door squeaked open as Rey peaked out the crack. No doors open, goodie. She then opened the door wide and walked down the hall, hoping that Ben had come home again. She did feel relatively safe in the church but safer still with Ben by her side. Witch was silly because she had this super powerful body, but Rey shuddered to just imagining hurting anyone.

 

“Ben” she called and peaked into his office. He looked up from his position on the floor, bags and wood boards overflowing his small office floor. She stood there stunned and looked. Had Ben bought all this for her? She had never had anyone buy anything for her and now Ben sat in the midst of what looked like a dresser, half assembled and bags full of what she could only assume would be clothes.

 

Ben took a double check behind him, making sure the darker curtains still didn’t let the last daylight in. Then he quickly stood, grinning widely. “Rey, hey. I got you some clothes and uhm” he looked around on the floor, dresser only half assembled. “And a dresser and... some stuff”. He looked back up with a proud and happy look on his face. Seeing all this, Rey burst into tears, her entirely body shaking with overcome emotions. Embarrassed over her outburst Rey hid her face behind her hands, trying so hard to control the tears pouring out of her.

 

Anxious, Ben rushed to her, hugging her small body, not knowing what else to do. “I’m so sorry sweetheart. I can return it, if you don’t like it? I... I can fix it! Whatever you want, Rey” hugging her closely. Rey sniffled and looked up at him and choked out “it’s not that I don’t like it”. Her lower lip quivered, “it’s just, no one has ever bought me anything... and you’re just... so kind to me and… I don’t understand”.

 

When she started to sob again, Ben stroke her back gently and hugged her close. “Shhh, sweetheart. It’s okay... It’s okay. I was raised with helping people and you needed help… and I want to help you.” He kissed Rey on her sleep mused hair and kept her close till her tears slowly stopped. Ben could only imagine the hardships she had been going through.

 

And Ben definitely wouldn’t tell her how he dug a deep hole into his meager account for all these things. She apparently already felt overwhelmed of him buying this for her so she _really_ didn’t need to know this. Besides Ben had his grandfather’s estate and his trust-fund but those were ‘frozen’ in agreement with his mother and handled by her as long as he was a priest. At the time when Ben was going into priesthood, he had thought it was a great idea to live the humble life.

 

Of cause now Ben would gladly have spent a good portion of his ‘pension plan’ to fix his beloved church, but Leia wouldn’t have it. Saying that her son would end up spending all his money on helping others and ending up on the streets himself as an old man. Not that she probably wasn’t correct. Stillhis meager priest salary always went to repairs because he loved his church. Repairs and food, of cause. Speaking off...

 

“Rey, sweetheart” Ben noticed her crying was down to a minimum and he couldn’t help wonder if hunger may have been a contributing factor for her emotional outburst. Rey looked up with red, puffy eyes “yeah?” Ben thumbed her cheeks free of tears. “I don’t wish to be rude or offend you, but… are you hungry?”

 

She bit her lip and looked down embarrassed. Her bursting into tears like that. This poor man really shouldn’t have to deal with all her emotional baggage on top of being a live buffet for her. “I’m.. I’m used to not eat for three or four days. Sometimes for over a week, so..” she trailed off with a meek voice.

 

Ben frowned. That didn’t exactly answer his question and the more Rey seem to deny herself proper care and nutrition, the more protective Ben felt. “ _Rey_ ” he said in a warning tone. He wouldn’t have her neither belittle nor starve herself. She looked up so carefully at him, afraid of his tone, afraid that she had crossed some sort of line. Or worst of all, that he was angry and tossed her away, just like her parents did.

 

“I’m sorry” she answered quietly, trying so very hard not to start to cry again. This was it. He was tired of her antics and would toss her out now, Rey was sure of it. Ben could see her emotions rolling over her face, sighing he tipped her chin up with his forefinger. “Rey, I don’t want you to starve yourself, so I’m only going to ask you one more time. Are you hungry”?

 

Her lips quivered. Ben was afraid that he had talked too harshly to her, but he _needed_ her to know. For her to be aware of the importance she had in his life already. Ben wanted to take care of her and since her diet was... well... _him_ , Ben needed to make sure she got what she needed.

 

“Sweetheart” he said instead, this time in a more soft tone, hoping that he wouldn’t make her cry again. “Let the past die. All the others before me; all your bad experiences, bury it. Let it die along with the past... You don’t need to be afraid. I already feel...” Ben closed his mouth. He didn’t mean to admit that. “I want to help you, okay”.

 

Nodding, Rey tried to calm herself. Her past - both as human and vampire - always with hunger gnawing at her insides, was a story Ben Solo didn’t need to know. She could feel his honesty and how he most definitely wouldn’t accept her starving herself to avoid feeding on him. “Thank you, Ben. For all of this... and yes” she swallowed, “I am a little hungry”.

 

Ben could see it took every effort in her to admit to her need. Knowing just a bit more about her, Ben swore that he would fight for her fiercely, be it Rey’s own insecurities or outside threats. Ben quickly opened a few buttons of his shirt, placing the thin plastic priest collar onto a nearby shelf. Gently Ben placed a hand on the back of Rey’s head, leading her to his neck opposite side of his already bandaged neck.

 

Rey took in the sight of the handsome, kind and surprisingly well trained priest, with his shirt undone and felt a blush on her face. Quickly Rey hid her face in his neck and licked her lips nervously. She wasn’t used to this kind of attention and having Ben in any state of undress made her both shy and excited for some odd reason.Sinking her fangs into his skin, Rey sighed of relief. Getting to eat was fantastic enough as it is. Being allowed to freely ask for food _every day_ was a bloody miracle in her book.

 

Gently Ben stroke her hair, just like the night before and surprised when she stopped way sooner than her last meal. Perhaps Rey had simply been hungry last night and getting her food daily would require a lot less, Ben mused. Rey parted from him and hurried in Vampire speed to get him a chair to sit on and then bandages and a glass of lemonade.

 

Ben’s eyes widened to see her flash before his eyes. Suddenly she was gone, then there again, tugging him onto a chair that was suddenly behind him. Then gone again and a second after she stood with both a tall glass of lemonade and some bandages. He gave her a sideways smile, the one thing he got from his dad and took small sips of the drink.

 

“So, lightning speed, huh” Ben commented lightly. Rey smiled shyly and looked up from bandaging his neck. “Yeah, found that out on my own”. Rey looked besides him, drifting off in though. “I kinda learned everything on my own. Just like my normal life” shrugging off her hardship like it was a normal thing.

 

Ben placed the empty glass on the shelf next to him and took Rey’s hands in his. Ben knew he wanted to learn more about her but just now, when she looked so frail, all Ben wanted was to make her smile. “So, the things” looking around him. The effect was instant and Rey gave him a brilliant smile. “Yes, I really really love it, Ben. Thank you so so much”.

 

He slowly stood, checking for his dizziness, seeming to be fairly good for her light dinner. “Okay, let’s get all this down to your room then”. They both grabbed the stuff around them, going two times up and down. When told the scrap-lamp was for her, Rey carried it down to the basement in a bear-hug, grinning like she was just handed the most precious gift ever. Ben had smiled at that, glad his assumption about her taste had been correct.

 

Once it was all down in the basement, Rey had insisted that she would gather both bed and dresser. The heavy black fabrics was hung up in front of the double doors leading outside and an extra heavy lock joined the normal lock. Just to be safe, Ben reasoned. Nothing to do with the precious person inside the basement. He was just being cautious, that’s all. Not paranoid, nope. Not at all.

 

The bed frame, mattresses and bed linens was so quickly put up that Ben just stood with an open mouth and gawked at her. Rey glowed and huffed a bit. “I’m... a bit out of practice” she wheezed. “I’m not entirely used to be going all power-up-Vampire-mode”. Grinning, Ben nodded and pulled another set of curtains up from a bag.

 

He nodded to the tall bed frame to hang them in. “For extra safety... and coziness, I guess”. Okay, so perhaps Ben could see, now that he was seeing it all being put together, that he _might_ act a _bit_ like a nervous parent. Paranoid and triple checking locks on doors and having curtains in so many places. But it wasn’t like Rey would just catch the cold if she went outside or if people accidentally opened the doors. It was literally death awaiting her. So Ben had to protect her with everything he had.

 

Rey sat down on the bed, taking out one piece of clothing at a time. Feeling the fabric between her fingers, turning it to see every detail and lastly folding them up carefully to be put into the dresser. When she had gone trough all besides the underwear, Rey tossed Ben a look. “Uhm, I just think I will put the clothes into the dresser and ... this too” taking the bag up and with Vampire speed stuffing it into a drawer. Ben (and his slight blush) was thankful for her speed.

 

Looking at her, Ben realized his earlier thoughts.“Rey, may I... may I ask about your life? What was it like? Where did you live. Did you have many friends?” Ben sat down on the bed with one leg folded up on the bed, trying to look relaxed, although Ben knew his eyes would be pleading. He wanted to know everything about her, but the whole vampire thing was perhaps a more delicate subject. If she had friends and family before, Ben would try and reason with them, tell them how she isn’t dangerous and hopefully get her back in touch with them too.

 

Rey looked down at her shoes. Or, her new boots. She had changed into them immediately, once she got her hands on the soft sand-colored leather. She figured Ben might as well know what a waist of space everyone in her life previously had though of her, before this life became too painful to give up. If Ben kicked her out now, it would hurt less.

 

Sitting down on the bed next to Ben, Rey slipped off her boots and folded her legs up, looking down on the duvets to not meet his eyes. A deep breath for courage first and Rey felt a bit more ready. “Okay, so... I’m an orphan. My parents left me... or sold me... to this man called Unkar Plutt and somehow, for reasons and laws I don’t understand, he became my legal guardian”. Ben noticed with a twinge of hurt, how she avoided looking at him.

 

Ben kept his eyes on her face, ready to stop her if she was pushing herself too much mentally. He wanted to know but not at any cost and especially not when her small voice gave away her pain. “He wasn’t a very nice man.” Rey shook her head to change that statement. “Actually he was a horrible man. He would say I had to ‘deserve to eat’ or even get new clothes when the old was too worn thin. Most days I was so tired after work that I passed out sleeping, as soon as I laid down on my blanket on the floor”.

 

Ben’s eyes burned with hate and his nails dug into his palms. The expectation of a possible family and friends was out the window. Ben felt like his insides burn with blinding rage. That man had starved her and wouldn’t even give Rey clothes on her back, unless she worked herself half to death and not even a bed to lay down on at night. Ben had to remember his priestly vows before asking where to find this Plutt guy and leave Rey and the church to ‘take a little trip’.

 

Ben may be a priest now, but there was a reason why his body was well trained... and right now his whole body was itching to do some _serious_ harm to this filth of a man. “Please tell me that Plutt is dead, Rey” he heard himself growl. Rey looked up wide eyed. “Wha... Ben! You’re a priest. Should you even be _thinking_ that?”

 

Leaning towards her across the bed, Ben’s mind supplying him with exact places to hit a grown man to bring them to their knees. Ben lowered his voice to a whisper to avoid growling at her “I don’t care about my _profession_ right now. If anyone tries to hurt you, I will kill them. Do you understand?” He could feel his body shake with anger, at the mere thought of anyone hurting her.

 

Numbly, Rey nodded, realizing that Ben did feel something more for her than just kindness. The thought made all the horrible memories vanish and making her giddy inside. Rey sat up on her knees and moved close to Ben, placing one hand on his folded leg resting between then and another on his shoulder. Rey then leaned in and gently placed her lips on his, with her heart hammering inside her.

 

Ben’s body froze up for a second, then his mind caught up and he lifted his hands to her face to cradle her cheeks gently and so desperately at the same time. Kissing her back as softly as he could, his mind dizzy with happiness. He had gone from raging fury over this Plutt guy and then, Ben (like the emotional idiot he was) had gone and blurred out how he would protect her with his life. But now that her lips was pressed against his, Ben suddenly didn’t mind his outburst.

 

Ben heard himself whine when Rey parted from him. He never wanted to part from her ever again. He couldn’t remember ever being this smitten with anyone and just a kiss from her was enough to tame the violent monster inside him, a feat that didn’t go unnoticed in Ben’s mind either. Not even himself had been able to always tame his rage and the emotional outbursts. After this Ben was now completely sure that Rey was _the one_. And if priests only was allowed to marry humans, well, then he just had to find a different way to serve the greater good in the world. 

 

Her face was blushing and Ben though affectionately that Rey looked absolutely adorable. He trailed a lock of hair behind her ear, leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose. “So, may I ask how old you really are, just so I know if I am to be courting a hundred year old woman”.

 

Rey sniggered and shook her head “I’m 21 and since I was only turned a few months ago I’m still just that, so don’t worry about that... if you still want to court me that is”. Her doe-eyes looked up at him, her stunning face, beautiful heart and clever mind was something Ben could never deserve in a thousand lifetimes... but Ben knew he was a greedy man and he wouldn’t want to let her go for nothing in this world. _Even_ if it meant to turn him into a vampire to stay by her side.

 

“I would of cause prefer to call you my _girlfriend_ but I would settle for courtship for now since it _is_ going rather fast.” Rey scrunched up her face and smiled “courtship is a bit old fashion, isn’t it” she grinned. she wasn’t about to admit her inner _ecstatic_ screaming from the moment he kissed her back till now. Keeping it cool and not overwhelm him was probably best, but Rey couldn’t give up a change to be his, even if they only had met one day ago. “Boyfriend and girlfriend it is then” Ben confirmed, taking her hand in his with a smile.

 

She suddenly jumped up, nearly giving Ben a heart attack. “The fuse box” she blurted out. How had she forgotten and not even realized in the dim lighting of his office, only lit up by the cool looking lamp Ben had gifted her. She only vaguely noticed the room plunge into darkness when she had unplugged it from the long wire into the hallway, where the light still was working. Of cause it had been the last thing to be removed and Rey had been too elated to notice, but now she could repay his kindness. Not with much, but every little thing counts, Rey determined.

 

“Can I fix it now” she asked with such a joyful expression on her face, that Ben had chuckled. “Yeah, but just don’t forget I warned you” he said with a smirk. Rey lit up and they walked to fetch his toolbox first (an old thing his uncle had used for years before hidden in his office) and then to the dreaded fuse box in the basement.

 

He looked down at her as she bounced along side him, toolbox in one hand like it was light as a feather. Not wanting to dig deeper into a uncomfortable conversation about her past, Ben chose a hopefully more safe question, that had been on his mind. “So what was the deal with your dress up as a vampire?” making sure to look at her for any change in mood, to stop her if she got sad.

 

Out of the corner of her eye Rey could see he looked at her, so she simply shrugged. It was rather ridiculous but it had worked somewhat, if not caused her trouble in the end for easy registration with the Hunters chasing her. “Well, first when I tried to ask for... _food_ , dressed as I normally would, people would just laugh at me like I made a joke.” Ben nodding, he could see why people would assume that. He probably would too.

 

“So, I tried to show them my teeth, you know, to show them I wasn’t lying”. Rey opened the fuse box, but Ben kept his eyes on her face. “But most of them got so scared, that I had to come up with something else, you know”. Rey looked up at him briefly and focused on the wires, trying hard to disengage herself from the hurtful memories of her scarring people. Rey hated how all they saw was monster instead of _her._

 

Hands and wires was a blur of speed while Rey repaired wires or replaced them. “There” she stated and closed the fuse box, lights coming up in the whole church again. A proud smile tugged at her lips and she hauled the toolbox up in her hand. It snapped Ben out of his amazement and followed her dutiful back to his office, now completely lit up by his various lamps on his desk, walls and in the ceiling.

 

Rey placed the toolbox down on the floor and continued her story. “So... I figured if I  _dressed_ the part, then people would perhaps be like: ‘ _oh, right! Looks like a vampire, so it fits_ ’ so yeah, it worked for a while. I took care of not to take too much and having bandages in my bag as well as those little juice boxes. I figured it was the _least_ I could do” she shrugged and fumbled with her fingers.

 

Rey stopped the explanation there. She hoped Ben would take the hint because she really didn’t want to talk about the Hunters again. Because that was what came after in her story. Unless he wanted to know every person she sucked on and that was yet another thing Rey really hated. The draining of humans to survive. Shivering, Rey looked up, hoping he wouldn’t ask further.

 

Ben nodded and smiled as he watched his office, pretending to not have anymore to ask, when she clearly had reached her limit. “I had almost forgotten how much light I had in my office” he chuckled. “Thank you” turning towards Rey and went over and hugged her close, whispering into her hair “Thank you for being here, Rey. Thank you”. Rey wasn’t going to cry again. She wasn’t. Holding on to Ben, she let his scent flow over her, letting his presence calm her. Ben had been her only hope to survive and here he was thanking _her_. Rey must have done something good in her life to deserve someone like him and hugged him a little tighter.

 

After a little while, Ben spoke again. “By the way, some of the clothing stuff was a donation from ol’ Maz. She’s the lady that runs the clothing store. So if it didn’t fit, you could come down and change it. The sun goes down a good half hour before she closes up, so you can change it to the correct size. She also... uhm...” Rey could feel him shift nervously. “She picked the underwear for you too”. Rey took a step back and looked at Ben’s blushing face. “I DIDN’T LOOK, I PROMISE” Ben hurried to say, panicked by Rey’s shocked expression. Admittedly, she hadn’t really thought of that when she had put it away in the dresser, but it was kinda cute how he blushed and felt at ease with his admission. 

 

“I believe you, Ben” seeing him visible relax again. What a perfect gentleman. Rey was so thankful for him; feeling so safe for some inexplicable reason. “Rey, I know you’ve only been awake for a few hours but... would you mind if we watched some tv or a movie in my bedroom... it’s the only place I have a tv, so it’s not like... you know.” Rey nodded and clicked the lights off around the office. No, Ben didn’t seem like the person to lure women into bed, even if he wasn’t a priest, Rey could still tell that Ben was a good man with a kind heart.

 

Ben stopped in the hallway and tilted his head in thought. “You know what, why don’t we set the tv up in the basement instead? I know I have some wires for that and it should be long enough to reach. That way, even if you woke during the day, you would have entertainment if you don’t feel like reading all the time... If you can set it up of cause, because I can’t” Ben looked down at Rey, her eyebrows lifted up in surprise. “I... sure”. Ben couldn’t pinpoint what went through her head but she agreed and with a little Vampire speed, her ‘bedroom’ now had a tv on the wall too.

 

He looked at the time. It hadn’t been long since Rey woke up, but he felt so tired from hours of walking around town and hauling the heavy furniture around. Before he could ask her however, Rey looked at him, biting her lip. “Would you... would you mind if we didn’t lay on top of the bed and just snuggle in our pj’s instead. I mean, that way you can just fall asleep when you want to” she trailed off. Ben gave her a soft peck on her forehead “that sounds perfect, sweetheart. Simply perfect”, caressing her cheek with his knuckles.

 

So after getting ready for bed, taking turns in the bathroom upstairs, they snuggled under the covers. Ben leaned up against the headboard and looked at Rey. She had moved from sitting and watching the tv, to sit and look at him, both smiling and blushing. Figuring that she was too embarrassed to ask, Ben simply opened his arm and the tiny happy squeal she made as she snuggled into his side, gave him the biggest smile on his face. How was it even possible that an adorable woman like her existed and better yet, wanted to be his.

 

With Rey by his side, Ben made sure that anything Rey wanted to watch, he agreed on. Ben didn’t really watch the tv at all, content in just watch the happiness overflowing on her face. The smallest things would make her so happy and Ben had kissed her temple and hum each time she would state something in a movie. And with the space movie later Ben gave her a tight squeeze every time she would whimper and vehemently state that she did _not_ cry at all. Ben’s cheek hurt from all the times he had to bite down, so he wouldn’t smile or chuckle when she puffed herself up. Vampire or not, she really wasn’t that frightening... just adorable. Adorable and lovely and sweet.

 

A good while past midnight, Ben had sagged down the bed, popping up his head on a pillow instead. Rey had adjusted and folded an arm over his chest and snuggled into his neck after tugging the duvet properly over him. Ben’s calm breath and his chest rise and fall, was slowly making Rey drift away in sleep. Feeling happy, safe and loved for the first time in her life.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Ben thinks like a pregnant lady, keeping his body healthy for the best possible nutrition ^^ I thought it would be kind of cute having him tend to her every needs like this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a horrible misunderstanding comes knocking, the day soon goes to shit. Leading to both Ben’s dark past to surface and Rey’s demise coming a bit too close for comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is the longest one yet. The story just kept on coming so I had to write it ^^

  
  
Heavy knocking on the Church’s front door above them woke Ben with a jolt. It wasn’t too loud through the basement floor but the relentless hammering had torn him from a peaceful sleep and awoken to a feeling of unease. Not knowing whether or not the person was a friend; not likely seeing how aggressively they hammered the door, Ben decided to wake Rey with a gently shake of her shoulder.  
  
“Sweetheart, someone’s coming” he barely got the words out before she was up and poised over him like an angry lioness, baring her teeth and fangs while fleetingly looked around for enemies. _Okay then_ , if Ben was ever in danger, he could definitely trust Rey’s instincts to protect him, just as _he_ would protect _her_.  
  
“Hey, don’t worry, it’s upstairs. I have to go up and open, but...” the threat of who it could be was heavy in the air between them. Rey crawled off him and nodded somberly, taking the sheets and hiding herself under them. Ben smiled at the visible hidden person and slipped out onto the concrete floor. Ben didn’t plan to tell anyone that he had ‘guests’ so Rey would still be safe down here. Ben hurried up through the church, barefooted and in his sleep-wear that consisted of sweatpants and a Tee.  
  
Walking past the pews and coming close to the hammering, Ben shouted back at the person outside, “YEAH YEAH, I’M COMMING” as the person outside kept at it. _Sheesh!_ Ben braised himself, sending an internal prayer up for protection for primarily Rey, before opening the door. Lamenting the lack of a peephole in the old wooden door, which could have been very useful right about now.  
  
Outside his eyes first fell on his mother, small in height but large in presence. The last person in the world Ben imagined would make such a ruckus, but here she was, standing with two young men besides her. Ben recognized Finn (with his own priest collar mixed with casual clothing, _good for him_ ). Finn was the guy he helped out once, before becoming a priest himself. Seeing Finn healthy now and happy, clearly have been educated himself to become a priest too, warmed Ben’s heart.  
  
Next to Finn was a man that didn’t need an introduction. Ben’s old childhood friend that last Ben heard was working with his father in the airline business. Ben figured it had to have been Poe that flew his mother up here then; perhaps Finn came along to see the church or to say hi to Ben. His father must have wormed his way out to this trip then, Ben thought with a twinge in his chest.  
  
It didn’t matter, Han and him hadn’t always seen eye to eye and when Ben took up the mantle for his dying uncle, his old man had grumbled profanities about that particular profession, but still, it had been years since he last saw him. Would have been nice. Shaking his thoughts off him, Ben eyed his mother and gave her the old Solo smile. “Sheesh mom, impatient today, are we?” He was only _half_ -joking. He would know better than to scold his mother. Ben might be a grown man, but you did _not_ scold Leia Organa-Solo... at all!  
  
Ben clasped his large hand on Poe’s shoulder, giving both him and Finn a nod of hello. Leia had a tight expression when she noticed his two patches up wounds on his neck. Ben smiled embarrassed, let go of Poe and stepped back to walk back inside. “Uhm, so yeah, come inside”. _Crap_. He didn’t think to cover himself up and besides his mother believing him, Ben wasn’t sure just how okay his mother would be of his and Rey’s ‘dinner arrangements’.  
  
The four of them walked through the church, Ben leading them to his office to have the men stay there while Ben would introduce Leia to Rey. Ben looked at Finn out of the corner of his eye, he really looked better than last they saw each other. Of cause it had been years since he saved Finn’s life. “You’ve been good, Finn” he asked, both out of curiosity but mostly to break the awkward glare from his mother. Finn nodded “yeah man. Still breathing, thanks to you” he chuckled a bit.  
  
Ben nodded again. He remembered when they had come to the Organa estate in the middle of the night. The wayward son coming back home and with a man in tow, hanging off his shoulder beaten and bruised. Ben turned away from the name _Kylo_ that day. He still remembered the rain pouring down and how scared Finn had looked. Shaking those depressing thoughts, Ben was just thankful that his mother had opened her home for Finn, helped him recover and even payed a lawyer to keep not only Ben but also Finn out of jail through the trails.  
  
They only just entered the office, when Poe clasped Finn on his shoulder. “Hey buddy, you needed the bathroom, didn’t you”. Finn nodded and before Ben could say anything, Poe waved him off. “Don’t worry, I remember where it is. I’ll show him” giving Leia a curt nod and closed the door to the office.  
  
Ben leaned on his desk and folded his arms, looking his mother over. She seemed more tense than she normally did. “Is everything alright, mother?” Perhaps all that politics had finally done her in. Leia shook her head, “yes, dear. Everything will be just fine”. He frowned... ‘ _will_ be’?? What did that even mean. Shrugging, Ben continued “well, when they come back, I think it’s best if they wait in the office first. She is rather shy and have had some pretty traumatic..”  
  
A frightened wail tore through the church and Ben, wide eyed and panicked rushed to the door. Leia tried to get in-between, blocking his way, but only got a hold of his arm as he rushed past her. “Son, I know you probably _think_ you care for her, but...” Leia began, trying to hold on to his arm. Ben snarled at her, wrestling his arm free from his mother’s iron grip and sprinted down to the basement.  
  
The two men stood in the middle of the room with thin crossbows pointed at the bed. They must have had them smuggled in under their jackets so Ben wouldn’t see them. The curved sheets on the bed, where he had left Rey to hide was pierced with two arrows sticking out from the bedding. Ben instantly saw red, screaming at Finn, the very man Ben had saved. “TRAITOR!” The two men didn’t even properly turn before Ben was over Finn. His eyes burned and his chest roared in white glowing rage. Ben gripped Finn’s jacket, drew his feet over the ground to get him all up in his face and then with a violent head-butt Finn sunk into a pile of unconscious limbs.  
  
Poe was quickly on him, shouting at him like _Ben_ had done something wrong. “What the hell man, we are just trying to help”. Poe didn’t manage to say more, when Ben’s knuckles met Poe’s nose with a sickening crunch of bone. Poe staggered back and held up his hands, trying to visibly calm Ben. “ _I will kill you for this_ ” Ben snarled and charged on Poe, grabbing his jacket and was about to punch the already bleeding nose again when there came a little whimper close by, causing his clenched fist come to a screeching halt.  
  
Ben almost couldn’t look at the bed-turned-grave. It hurt so fucking much to know she was gone. “ _Ben_ ”, his name whimpered quietly and Ben looked around wildly and saw Rey’s frightened little figure peek up over the bed from the floor. Ben tossed Poe away on the concrete floor and jumped over the bed and let his body fall to the floor next to her, taking Rey into his arms and covering her with his body protectively.  
  
_She’s alive!_ Rey had hidden herself behind the bed and must have placed pillows under the sheets as a decoy. Oh, bless her paranoid little heart. Ben was only vaguely aware that he sobbed while franticly checking if she was wounded. When no wounds were found, Ben released a loud sob of relief and kissed her all over her face and hugged her tightly.  
  
Her small hands held his face and oh, how they shook of fright. Ben swore he would murder them for this. His mother perhaps not, but he was still debating that. “ _Ben_ ” she whispered again, getting his attention from his murder spree in his head. “Please don’t hurt them. I’m okay, they only shot our pillows”. Ben growled deep in his throat and squeezed his arms around her. He almost lost her and she wanted to spare them for nearly taking her life. That didn’t sit well with the bloodthirsty monster inside him and right about now was Priest-Ben very hard to hear over the white hot rage.  
  
He was aware of just how much Rey feared for her life, but even _now_ , with the death threat _still_ over her head, she would spare them. Rey wouldn’t want to hurt _anyone_ and just the thought of her dying... Ben hugged her tightly. “I _will_ murder them, if they try that again, Rey” he answered darkly. She hugged him close to her, like she was trying to save him too; Perhaps from himself; from a name and a monster hidden inside him, that was clawing inside him to get out now.  
  
Some groans and shuffling across the concrete and Ben hid her behind the heavy bed frame again. Standing tall and menacing, he slowly stalked over to Poe that tried to wake his partner in crime. “Hey, buddy, wake up. Your wife will kill me if I don’t get you home in one piece”. Ben could feel his lips turn into a snarl, standing over the two men. “You should have thought of that before you tried to hurt someone I care for” Ben could dimly recognize the darkness in his voice, from a time where violence was a friend, not a foe. Oh, the monster was definitely trying to get free.  
  
Poe looked up with a frown “listen here buddy-boy. I was told not to harm you, but so help me...” a throat cleared in the other end of the basement. “THAT won’t be necessary” his mother said, with the same clipped tone that Ben remembered from when he was little and had done something wrong. Funny how only ten minutes earlier, Ben wouldn’t even dare to scold his mother but now with his protective instinct towards Rey kicking into gear, Ben would fight the old woman that raised him. He would burn down worlds to keep Rey safe.  
  
Not trusting his own flesh and blood, Ben slowly walked backwards towards Rey, to make sure Leia wouldn’t cut him off and kill her. Ben kept shifting his gaze towards the two men and his mother. Ben knew that at times he was overly sensitive and dramatic. Telling his mother over the phone that Rey may perhaps be his future wife. Gushing on and on of how perfect and sweet and kind she was. But if his mother disapproved this much, couldn’t she just have said something? Was there _any_ reason to try and kill her? To kill someone like this was taking ‘disagreement’ to the _extreme!_  
  
Agonizing moments later, Ben finally was by her side again. “Rey, are you alright” only shifting his eyes to hers for a split second before keeping an eye out for the three predators in his church basement. She took his hand, shielded behind him once more, hugging his legs and sniffling into his clothes.  
  
Ben could feel the rage inside him fighting to be released. “You three need to leave and _fast_ , before I do something that can’t be undone.” giving Rey a comforting squeeze with his hand. “You two can thank Rey’s pleading for still being alive” giving Poe a scalding look. “If she had not been cautious enough to hide herself and you had actually succeeded, _nothing_ would have stopped me from ending you”. The threat of what would happen to them if they tried again, hang heavily in the air.  
  
His mother frowned and Poe looked slightly put off to hear Ben as a priest threaten with murder. Ben didn’t care that it sounded suspiciously like the monster; like _Kylo._ The rage still simmering just below the surface and kept his body shaking. Ben felt something wet on his hand. Looking down, he found Rey cradling his hand in hers and her beautiful face leaning on his arm. The tears dripping down on his hand and her eyes so filled with pain and sorrow, that it broke his heart.  
  
Choked up, Ben looked towards his mother “please... leave. She is helpless; she wouldn’t hurt you even when you try to kill her. Please mother. Don’t force me to hurt you. Just... leave” he trailed off and turned to Rey. He trusted his mother’s love for her son enough to turn his back to face Rey instead. As long as Ben was in the way of a possible shot, Rey wouldn’t be hurt. “Rey, sweetheart. They don’t get to hurt you, I swear I will..” Rey shook her head. “Please don’t go this way. Please don’t do this, Ben. You _can’t_ kill them. If...” she shook her head distressed. “If you kill someone, you will never be able to live with yourself.”  
  
Having a grave sense of Rey speaking from experience, Ben sighed defeated. He would have to talk to her about that later, but right now she was so little and so scared that Ben’s rage slowly deflated. “Fine, but if they try anything, if they even _look_ at you funny, I will _hurt_ them” he tried to bargain with her, for how much Ben could let out his bloodthirsty monster that vibrated with the need to hurt them. Death was a no-go because of his promise, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t hurt them... a lot... to put his point across.  
  
“It seems” Leia’s voice _right_ next to Ben scared the living piss out of him and instantly panicked and crowded Rey with his body in fear for her life. _How_ Leia had been able to sneak up on them without Ben hearing it, he didn’t know, but if this mistake would cost Rey her life, Ben would never forgive himself... or his mother for that matter. Leia put a gentle hand on his shoulder, to compel Ben to look towards her, while showing her weapon-free hands, to try and pacify her son’s mounting panic.  
  
Leia’s eyes that normally held a hard and commanding gaze, was now replaced with sorrow and regret. “It seems like we owe you two an explanation... and an apology. You see, we are hunters and” Rey gave a scared little squeak from inside Ben’s cocoon of arms and legs, shaking all the more now. “I swear, if you hurt her...” Ben snarled at his mother, knowing she would understand the severe threat.  
  
His mother looked at him with a pained expression. “No, she won’t be hurt. I give you my word! It would seem like we finally found the one your uncle told me about. But let’s talk about this in a more civil setting”. Leia rose and walked over to the two men, most likely to check up on Ben’s victims.  
  
Finn that groaned and slowly sat up. “Mother fu..” - “LANGUAGE” Ben shouted. “This is a sacred place... well, upstairs is, but still... and you deserved it” Ben grumbled. Leia began walking back upstairs, with a single look back gestured then all to follow. Like the leader she always had been since a young age, his mother commanded those around her simply by her mere presence. The two men stood right away, groaning from their wounds, but Ben halted before following. This _could_ be a trap, to get him away from Rey, promises from his mother or not.  
  
Ben leaned down and whispered in her ear “use your vampire speed to break their weapons over there on the floor, then search inside their jackets for more. Can you do that” he asked, looking deeply into her eyes. If her eyes gave away the slightest discomfort, Ben would search the men himself but therein lays the danger. With her speed, they couldn’t hit her, but they _could_ if Ben didn’t shield her while being busy searching them. This was the only way to make sure they didn’t have any weapon to use. To keep her safe, despite how he hated asking this of her.  
  
Rey nodded solemnly. She fully trusted Ben’s assessment of the situation. She could do it, she knew she could, especially when Ben had knocked them dizzy and they were caught off guard. A wind blew through the basement at the speed she was going and in an instant Rey stood next to Ben again and handed him some wooden stakes and a gun with a proud smile. Ben took them with a smirk and kissed the top of Rey’s head “good girl”.  
  
Ben was in awe of her, that she even dared to come that close to the Hunters. Despite her crippling fear, when Ben gave her the go-ahead knowing it was safe enough, Rey was both brave and trusting enough to see past her fear and get the job done. Just looking at her smile like that made his heart soar like a teenager in love and he didn’t know just what he had done to deserve such an amazing woman.  
  
Looking at the confused men quickly patting down their clothes, Ben could see they _just_ realized what had happened. Ben put the small pile of deadly weapons on the bed with a grin. “Let’s just leave your toys here, shall we” not concerned with the now dismantled crossbows laying useless on the floor... and his mother, well, she wasn’t one to ever back down from a promise and even so, then her old body wouldn’t be quick enough for neither Ben nor Rey.  
  
He could breathe a little easier now, with the (unwillingly) donation of weapons to the very newly formed organization C.O.S.T (church offensive strike team) with Ben being the only member of the Knights of Rey’s. In time Ben could build more to defend her, raising an entire army of fighters if need be, just like the ones he used to lead back when Ben went by a different name. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe.  
  
Slipping his arm around Rey’s shoulders protectively, they walked passed the two men and up to the office where his mother sat waiting in a chair. Ben looked fleetingly towards his windows and the curtains hadn’t been touched. But with what just had happened he couldn’t be _that_ trusting. “Rey, stay in the hall and away from the doorway. I’m going to get us some chairs”. Ben ignored how his mother rolled her eyes but the older woman yielded and stood up, lifting the chair and walked out into the window-less, vampire-safe hallway.  
  
Rey had just sat down on a chair (well past the office doorway so no one could use the sun to crisp his girlfriend) when Finn leaning on Poe cane up from the stairs. They looked miserable and Ben felt a sickening satisfaction of seeing them like that. _That_ should teach them not to touch his girl. Ben probably should be more worried that he though such things but before he could clear them of all malicious suspicions, Ben still felt on edge.  
  
Rey cleared her throat and he looked at her, seeing her nervously shift on her seat. He instantly reached out for her hand and gave her a comforting squeeze. It felt nice to feel needed by her and have her hold his hand in a tight grasp. That thought quickly dimmed when Ben saw not only the hint of fear that still lingered in her eyes but also compassion for her murders. “Are you kidding me” Ben blurred out before he could stop himself, hearing his voice edging on anger.  
  
Looking mostly like a sad puppy with a quivering lower lip, Rey’s eyes shifting between Ben and the two men, biting her lips in consideration. Poe quickly got a chair for Finn from the office, so the dizzy man could sit down, though Poe apparently was content with standing next to him with his bloodied, broken nose, perhaps to catch Finn if he swayed too much. It testified of a strong friendship and any other time, Ben would most likely have been happy for him, but right now Ben had to take a deep, deeeeeep breath to calm himself and think like Priest-Ben, not criminal-Kylo.  
  
Okay, he was calm. He could do this, for her sake. He glanced over and okay, so they looked kinda miserable... but Ben still could have done a lot worse. Rey’s bleeding heart was simply too overbearing. Feeling sorry for those trying to murder you, wasn’t exactly the best form of self-preservation. Ben knew he would have his hands full with this woman and her overbearing spirit. Sighing defeated, Ben looked at her, waiting to patiently hear her out.  
  
“It’s just... they are _hurt_. You really hurt them, Ben”. He hung his head and combed his fingers through his hair. It seemed in her vigilance to feel sorry for them, Rey at least seems to forget her fear of them. “Rey... I thought you were dead”. Ben looked up and saw a tear roll down her cheek. “I... I wasn’t” she whispered, seemingly not been aware of how his heart shattered into a million pieces by seeing the pile of bedsheets pierced with deadly wooden arrows.  
  
Rey took his hand in both hers, squeezing it. “I’m _here_ and I’m not going _anywhere_. Your mother said that I’m not in any danger anymore and I believe her. So please, Ben. We have to help them. It’s the right thing to do”. Her eyes pleading him while she held on to his hand tightly. He swore he would never do anything to hurt her and truth be told, Ben might have given Finn a more severe blow to the head than he initially thought, so calling the doctor was probably best.  
  
Ben nodded in agreement but didn’t get to suggest anything before he was interrupted by Leia’s voice of awe “it is her... _the one_... Thank the Heavens.” Despite the cryptic words from his mother, Leia didn’t give them any chance to ask for a clarification. She looked straight at Rey, with a gentle smile on her lips. Her entire persona now completely relaxed and welcoming.  
  
“You are right, my dear. Helping these two, especially Finn is rather important and time is off the essence. I would greatly appreciate, if you could heal my companions here and perhaps if you can find it in your heart to forgive them... and me, of cause, because we are truly sorry.” Rey shook her head confused. ‘ _Healing_ ’ them, she wasn’t a doctor or anything, what could she do?  
  
But by shaking her head, Leia took that as a decline of either help or forgiveness and sat back in her chair. Showing only a slight sense of hurt, Leia turned to the two men “well, I guess we’ve overstayed our welcome. We best be off to a hospital as soon as possible then. Poe, can you still fly”. Ben rolled his eyes by Leia’s dramatic entrance and exits. Ben really could like to have Poe keep his broken nose as a reminder but between his mother and now Rey, there were little to no chance of that happening. The monster inside was not happy but Ben’s light side was in awe of Rey’s way of handling this entire situation.  
  
“Mother, she didn’t say no. Rey don’t understand how. She’s only been a vampire a few months and no one taught her anything, so just tell her how if you know and she will do it”. Leia whirled around looking chocked “they didn’t get to her?” Ben groaned and circled his temples with his thumbs. He could almost feel the headache approaching. “If you are to stay and get ‘heals’ you have _got_ to _stop_ talking in riddles woman”. Ben sat back sighing, this was so tiring.  
  
Leia straightened up and apparently tried to find the right words. “Well, if Rey could bite her finger so these two could just suck a few drops, that should be enough to heal them. Perhaps a bit more for Finn, because I could be afraid that you gave him a serious brain injury, Ben” her mother looked at him accusingly. Rey’s mood brightened at the knowledge and stood carefully and poked a hole in her finger with her fang. She quickly retracted them again and slowly approached Finn to stick out her finger nervously. Finn looked scared of the vampire before him so Rey kneeled down in front of him and slowly put out her finger again.  
  
“ _Please_ ” her voice giving away her concern for the man trying to kill her only moments earlier. Poe looked down at the display, putting a hand on Finn’s shoulder to encourage him while the man sipped on the finger. Poe looked at Leia with a wide and a charming grin on his face “this is amazing. It will change everything”. Rey looked back while her finger was being used as a baby bottle and frowned at Leia. “What does that mean: ‘the one’? Not that I don’t appreciate you not trying to kill me or anything, but I’m no one special... I’m nothing”.  
  
Ben walked over and kneeled behind her, folding his larger body over her back like a protective cape, to give her comfort. Ben gently held his arms around her waist, kissing her temple and murmured into her hair “you are not nothing to me, Sweetheart. You are sweet and kind, brave and trustworthy. You are truly an amazing woman, so don’t ever think you are nothing, okay”. Rey blushed at his words, smiling back at him, she leaned back into Ben’s larger frame and sighed happily. She was safe. He came to her aid. Admittedly in a considerably more violent way than she had anticipated, but never the less, Ben stood by her even against his own blood and now it seemed that she was someone of importance to the Hunters, enough to not kill, so that was a big plus in her book.  
  
Kissing the top of her head, Ben stood when Finn let go of her hand and lifted Rey with him. Finn looked up at her and gave her a thankful smile. Rey then pointed her finger in front of Poe’s face, a giddy smile on her face. To know she could help, that she was _worth_ something (and _everything_ to Ben) made her feel exceedingly happy. Being a vampire suddenly didn’t _completely_ suck now.  
  
Poe gave her a relaxed charming smile and pointed at her finger. “Since you say you don’t know, try and look at this” taking her finger to rub her blood onto his nose instead. Rey gasped when the open wound knitted itself together and when Poe proceeded to suck a few droplets of blood before her self-inflicted puncture wound closed up, Poe pointed at his nose with a huge smile.  
  
The broken nose visibly cracked back and healed itself in mere moments. Rey stood frozen in shock, trying to grasp the reality of what she had just witnessed. _It... it just... healed. That fast?_ Rey couldn’t believe it. That was amazing. What she wouldn’t have given for some of that blood when she was a kid, when Plutt yet again had broken some of her bones in her undernourished little body. No, she wouldn’t think of that monster anymore.  
  
Rey stepped back towards her chair again, eager to hear what other awesome things she could do as a vampire, when Ben sat down and dragged her into his lap. Sitting sideways over his legs, with his arms around her waist was rather intimate but she had a feeling that this was more for her benefit than for his. She gave him a soft kiss on his lips, hearing his shuddering breath. His words came back to her ‘ _I thought you were dead’_. She couldn’t even imagine how awful she would feel had it been her instead.  
  
Poe’s teasing “awwww” made them both right themselves and looked to Leia. The kissing and snuggling would have to be postponed till a later time when they were alone again. Leia smirked and righted herself in her own chair “alright then, so first things first with this whole ‘the one’ thing. My brother Luke came to this island because of a ‘vision’ he had. A vampire that would be more human than humans and have more strength than most vampires. He believed that this vampire would aid the humans and bring balance to the light and darkness in the world.”  
  
Ben felt Rey sit on edge while listening intensely. He snuggled his face into her neck, closed his eyes and tried to control his breathe while letting Rey calm him. If they though Ben willingly would let her go to fight other vampires, his mother had another thing coming. His mother prattled on about the so called vision apparently not sensing her sons resolve of keeping Rey safe rather than being a savior.  
  
“Of cause, none of us believe that crazy old bat. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my brother, may he rest In peace but he was crazy enough before this whole debacle began” Leia shook her head defeated. “Then, then he became ill and recruited my son to take over. Insisting that a person of this family should be there when ‘the one’ came. I, of cause, was furious that my brother took away any hopes for my son’s career and social life, to shield him on this God-forsaken island, so I tried to manipulate him economically to decline my brother’s request.”  
  
Ben sniggered and looked up at his mother. So that was the reason behind her freezing his trust-fund and his grandfather’s estate, to push for the ‘simple life of a priest’. She had hoped Ben put up a fight and wanted his material goods instead of honoring his uncles dying wish. Thankful that he did, because otherwise he would never have met Rey. “I knew something was a bit odd with that arrangement, but I just figured it was you being protective”.  
  
Leia looked pleadingly at her son “I was, Ben. Luckily we still had Maz here to report back should anything happen.” Ben’s eyes widened “what, she’s one of you guys? No wonder you called me right after I talked to her in the shop”. Leia arched an eyebrow “ _honestly_ Ben, describing a refugee that ‘sleep the whole day’ - I mean _really!_ Couldn’t you have come up with something better? Perhaps ‘she is in meetings all day’ or something”.  
  
Ben grumbled into Rey’s neck, causing her to burst out the most delightful giggles, instantly defusing his bad mood. Leia ignored Ben’s grumbling and continued her conversation with Rey, “Maz is one of our oldest allies. She is razor sharp mind and can still give most of my Hunters a run for their money with a crossbow, where as I in my later years have been forced to lay down the stake and focus only on leadership instead. My slow reaction time and old bones doesn’t make for a good hunter anymore, I’m afraid.”  
  
Leia shifted her gaze between Ben and Rey, hesitating with what she was about to say. “You see Rey, we tried to shield Ben from this whole hunter business since...” her eyes shifted again and got a warning glare from her son. “Well, that’s a tale that Ben himself needs to tell, I guess. In any case, your unwillingness to attack Poe and Finn was what alerted me on just how special, how _human_ , you really are. _Any_ other vampire had attacked them on sight.”  
  
“You see Rey, vampires can mind control humans, so that was our first suspicion. That you had enthralled Ben into _thinking_ he was in love and therefore would do anything for you. I hope you do understand why we took action” looking at the young woman. Rey frowned “of cause I do. I wouldn’t want Ben to be enthralled either. You did what any family or friend should do”.  
  
Ben groaned in her neck “you really are too good for this world Rey. They tried to kill you and you just...” Ben sighed and kissed her cheek, giving up on Rey’s determination and lack of self-preservation. Ben though of her in war with Hunters next to her and against a horde of vampires. He would have to turn too, when the need for a protector during the night was more needed than during the day. But, that was a discussion between the two of them, alone.  
  
His mother told Rey the mechanics of being a vampire from their observations. How daylight could be survived for short periods of time. Shadow in daylight would most likely make her dizzy but not kill her, but staying underground during the day was still best. How fast vampires could be, though not as fast if they haven’t fed. Her strengths and weaknesses and when all was told, both Leia and the two men shifted uncomfortable and looked at each other.  
  
Ben frowned alerted “what” sure that whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. Instinctively he pulled Rey closer to his body, dreading what they were about to reveal. “Well...” Leia began and then looked at her companions. Poe stepped forward and looked into Rey’s eyes with a gentle look. “The fact is, we are thankful for your blood. I don’t know if Finn could handle the flight to a hospital with how... enthusiastic Ben was in doling out pain. His injuries may have been too severe if not for your blood”.  
  
Rey shifted in his lap, gripping his arms that held her close to him. Her eyes betrayed her fear of what caused these three hunters this much discomfort. Poe crouched down and folded his hands in front of himself. “I know we will go down to the local inn in town before traveling home, so don’t worry, okay... because as long as your blood lingers in our bodies.. only for the next day or so” he hurried to add. “Then if we accidentally die, we will wake as vampires.  
  
Ben just managed to see her lips quiver and then she burst into tears. Ben shifted her and she rolled into a tiny ball on his lap, shaking and crying for their misfortune. No doubt Rey would accuse herself for this, to put them in danger despite the reality. _They_ came here to kill her and it was _Ben_ who hurt them and again them who asked for healing blood _before_ telling her the dangers they put themselves in. Ben lifted her up as a bride, having her cling to his chest.  
  
Ben gave them all a deadly glare and then exited the hallway to go down to the basement. Gently he placed her on the bed and quickly put the stakes and gun under the bed instead. Laying down, Ben folded his body around her small figure, holding her close and kissing her hair. “You only tried to help. It’s their own fault... and mine, that they are in this situation to begin with. You are not to blame in this, at all.” A small hiccup in her throat was her only reply, her shaking slowly easing up.  
  
“Sweetheart, I love you and you are of no fault here. I know you feel for them but there is no danger here. And they will be careful before they even travel again. You don’t need to spill any more tears on them”. Rey poked her head out “but... but, what if”. Ben stopped her with a finger to her lips “no but’s Sweetheart. Trust me when I tell you, they are safe and will be. My mother wouldn’t take that kind of risk if she didn’t trust her people’s safety”. Rey nodded solemnly, answering with a meekly “okay”.  
  
“Are you ready to go up there again" Ben asked, searching her eyes. Her hesitation was more than enough answer though and Ben snuggled into her body again, refraining from pushing her emotionally. This would have to be taken in her tempo and their ‘guests’ would just have to wait then. Her mind became less frantic and hurt the more Ben stroke her arm and kissing her hair occasionally, murmuring how much he loved her. This was nice, Rey mused, but best get through the last information, so she and Ben could come back to snugging. Any more cuddles and Rey would fall asleep again and that would be rude to the people waiting upstairs.  
  
Rey sat up and looked down at Ben “thank you” she whispered, giving his hand a squeeze. Ben smiled and sat up with her, kissing her forehead and sighing. “You wanna get this out of the way so we can sleep” he asked with a smile. Rey nodded and they walked upstairs, Ben’s arm around her shoulder again. Rey tried to calm herself. She was tired and been woken with a death threat. Rey knew she was emotionally stretched. Taking calming breaths would help her keep her focus. They were safe and healed. She was safe and with Ben. Everything was going to be just fine.  
  
When they entered the hallway again, they were met by three guilty faces. Good, Ben though. Serves them right, springing this kind of shit after it was already too late for Rey to decline. Ben took his place in his chair again and before hauling Rey down with him, she sat down herself, taking his arm and folded it around her waist like it was the most normal way to sit.  
  
Finn and Poe didn’t look up from the floor, clearly feeling sorry for upsetting the only one here that was completely innocent in all of this. Both Ben and Rey then looked to his mother, waiting for her to continue. “I am sorry, Rey. If i knew it would upset you this much, I would have told you the risks beforehand. But I can guarantee you they will both be safe.” They all lapsed into a awkward silence, no one really know how to proceed.  
  
Ben sighed, this would take forever with his mother feeling sorry for Rey and vice versa. “Mother, besides being careful not to turn new baby vampires, what other information is there, because I have a vampire to tug in for the day.” Leia looked between them and sighed. “Well keeping a good hygiene with her fangs is always a good thing. Despite smearing her blood over to close the wound..” Rey jumped up and turned in his lap, carefully taking off his bandages. She gave him a smile and poked hole in a finger, closing both his wounds. “There, that’s way better” she beamed at him.  
  
Silly of them really, to forget his small wounds while she learned of the healing but Ben guesses it was because he already was content with her visible claim to him. Her fang marks showed the world that he belonged to someone. Ben liked that though and kinda already missing her marks. Of cause it was more practical like this but still. He gave her a squeeze around her waist and she sat back to give Leia her attention again.  
  
  
“When you give blood, only do so if the person is in real danger. Never use this as a easy fix, but seeing how horrified you got hearing of the consequences, I’m sure you agree to this. It would do no good to put people’s lives in danger another way. Of cause Poe could have been content with just the smear but seeing as we are to keep a low profile for the next day or so anyways, there wasn’t much reason for him to go around with a broken nose until he could fly us home and to a hospital”.  
  
Ben gave Poe a glance “oh, I don’t know, I would gladly have volunteered to snap his nose back”. Rey gave him an elbow in his ribs and he chuckled “sorry Sweetheart”. She gave him a glare and then looked to his mother again. “Well in case of your fellow night-walkers, they tend to make a feast out of new vampires. Once they give their blood, they drain them and thus killing them. However we in the organization have a suspicion that this makes for more weak vampires and if I’m not mistaken you didn’t die that way.”  
  
Rey’s eyes widened. “N... No, I didn’t. I...” she looked at Ben and slowly began to curl up in his lap, seeking his protection. Ben lifted her up to let her curl up and embraced her body. “It’s okay, Sweetheart. You don’t need to tell us if you don’t want to. It’s okay” he kept whispering softly to her. Rey shook her head “no it’s, it’s okay. I just... It was Plutt, I don’t think he did it on purpose. He was drunk and I didn’t even know he was a vampire. His bottle broke under his strength... I guess he was new to it and didn’t know. I tried to run into my closet to hide, he was over me, slapping my face and I tasted his blood. It was so little but he chocked me, screaming that...” she trailed off, looking down at the floor.  
  
The silence was so thick in the hallway you could cut it with a knife. Her guardian, the one who should have protected her, beat her and verbally abused her. Ben held her so tightly, hoping his next question didn’t confirm his suspicion. “Rey. Was this... when you said that I could never live with myself, if I killed someone...” The implication was clear but Ben couldn’t get the words out to ask if she killed her guardian.  
  
She looked up horrified “NO, how could you... _no!_ I woke up and he was gone. I don’t know what happened but I packed my stuff in a bag quickly and ran for my life. I figured something was off when I suddenly was all the way down the road in a split second. But no, I didn’t kill Plutt”. Ben frowned, glad to be wrong but who then was she referring too. Hopefully not one she had asked for food, that would scar her immensely. “Then who?” Ben mused out loud, before he could stop himself.  
  
Rey’s lips began quivering and tears welled up in her eyes. He hugged her protectively and swore he would protect her no matter what. She sniffled into his chest, her small hands gripping his T-shirt with shaking hands. “I was so hungry...I hid in the small forest here on the island after I got off the boat during the night... I... I saw this little squirrel” she sniffled and started to become more frantic. “I didn’t know just how little blood it had and.. and I tried to calm it and everything before I even bit it, but then it went limp in my arms... and I... I... “she sobbed into his chest. “I killed an innocent little squirrel” she wailed, clearly heartbroken over a tiny critter.  
  
Ben looked up at the others in surprise and relief, all awhile stoking her arms soothingly. Of cause her pure heart would take this with a heavy heart, where most others wouldn’t give a damn about a tiny squirrel. Finn had an equally surprised and disbelieving look on his face and Poe - of cause, being Poe and all - had an amusing smile on his lips. If he laughed at Rey, Ben would most likely break his nose again, that ass. At least his mother looked at Rey with the purest motherly empathy and he had to admit it was nice to see his mother accepting Rey and clearly caring for her, despite their rather violent start of the day.  
  
Though Ben gave Poe a warning glare, then truth be told, it was a _little_ funny. Of cause not for Rey; she was clearly devastated, but Ben had feared she murdered a human being, not a tiny critter. He tried schooling his voice to not give in to the tragicomic laughter that bubbled just below the surface. “Rey, Sweetheart... just to be clear; you _didn’t_ kill any humans... or vampires?” She looked up with the same horrified face “NO, I would never” her voice hiccupping.  
  
Only then she quickly looked around and noted Poe’s smile and how Ben wasn’t crying for the travesty of the squirrel’s death as well. “H... hey. This is serious... I...” Ben couldn’t help smiling now, relief flooding his body. “I know, Sweetheart. And we shouldn’t laugh, but you have to admit it’s a _little_ funny” he tried very carefully. Her quivering lips told him ‘no’ she didn’t find this funny. His hand stroked her body while Ben looked for a way to smooth things over.  
  
“Rey, did you eat meat while you were a human”. Rey, the smart girl that Ben knew she was, frowned “yeah, but still this time _I_ did it... Not that it helped me either. I puked up it all up after” leaning into his comforting strokes. “Lousy way of finding out you only can drink from humans” she mumbled and fiddled with Ben’s tear stained Tee. “Actually” Leia said “it may be due to your emotional state that you... expelled the blood. Vampires can survive on animals, but it makes them weaker than vampires that live on human blood”.  
  
Ben though of if he turned, then they both had to look for food and unfortunately the human kind, to keep their strength up. “So blood bags from a hospital or from friendly donations would also be a possibility” he asked, hoping his mother didn’t catch on to his idea. Leia looked at Ben with her mouth in a thin line not saying a word. _Or_ maybe Ben could just dig his own grave now. _Shit_.  
  
“Mom, listen. If you want her to join your crusade against the darkness, you can be damn well sure that I will be there to protect her. So, tell me what I need to know to be best suited for this or be on your way. Either way, no matter what you say, I _will_ protect her” Ben proclaimed fiercely. Rey looked at him with tears in her eyes, torn between arguing that he shouldn’t live as a monster like her or to be eternally thankful, knowing he would always be with her.  
  
Ben placed his finger over her lips to silence any objections. “You don’t have to say anything. This is my choice and it’s really not a choice at all. I was born to love you, to protect you; and I will, with all my might” Ben passionately declared. Rey threw her arms around his neck, her eyes bright with tears of joy when her lips met his.  
  
Despite the extra company staring, Rey kissed him over and over, sobbing and laughing of sheer happiness. Ben chuckled into her mouth, smiling like a maniac, as she assaulted him with kisses. Rey only parted from him, when Leia cleared her throat. Rey hid her burning face in his neck while Ben wholeheartedly laughed of her clear embarrassment. He gave her a gentle squeeze, meant for comfort, but honestly, he loved seeing how sweet she was blushing by simply kissing him in front of someone.  
  
“Well” Leia stood up. “I can only assume you two have a lot of talking to do”. Ben gave her a smile, thankful that his mother wouldn’t put up a fight with him turning to protect Rey. “I will email you details as soon as we have accommodated lodgings at either the inn or at Maz’s. She will undoubtedly want to know how this visit turned out”. Ben gave her a curt nod and let them find their own way out.  
  
Giving the two men a meaningful look and a nod of goodbyes, Ben lifted Rey in his arms and walked towards the bathroom. Rey have had a trying morning and way too little sleep. So before exhaustion set in, he would make sure to brush her teeth, feed her and then put them both into bed. The talk about how their future would go could wait till Rey had a good days sleep.  
  
Rey already slumped heavy in his arms before he entered the bright bathroom, causing her to whine at the electric light on the wall. Ben smiled and placed her on her feet to rummage for her toothbrush in the small cabinet. She rubbed her eyes “can’t we just go to sleep, Ben”. He looked down at her with a gentle smile “you know what they said. A healthy mouth is a healthy wound” stroking her cheek affectionately. “Now open, sweetheart”.  
  
Ben brushed her teeth, taking extra care of her fangs, then brushing her hair. Since they were still in their night clothes, he lifted her up as a bride again, carried her down to their bed and tugged her in. He quickly checked that the ‘donated’ weapons was still under the bed. Ben kissed her forehead and walked hastily up to the church door and locked it after the others had left and went back to tug himself in.  
  
Rey turned in bed when he laid down, looking at him with a dreamy expression. “I never thought I could be this happy”. Ben gave her a smile and kissed her softly. He parted from her, to look at her face. Rey could tell he was deep in thought. She tilted her head a bit “what is it?”. Ben tugged some hair behind her ear and held out his wrist. “A little before bedtime” he smiled affectionately.  
  
Shy as ever, Rey carefully looked at his face before leaning in and biting down. Her eyes fluttered closed and Ben kissed her slowly on her hair. He continued when she sighed blissfully, planting soft and languid kisses where he could reach. A thought came to him, her in a vision of white and before a church officiant. Perhaps he could get Finn to...  
  
Ben leaned up to look at her closed eyes. She looked so happy and peaceful like this. His heart constricted at the thought of her saying no, but he had to ask. He had to know. With a slight tremor in his voice, Ben whispered to her “with me turning and all, I thought... if you’d like to of cause... that we could combine it, so we would have both a turning and a marriage ceremony”.  
  
Rey’s eyes flew wide open and she suddenly felt breathless. He wanted to _marry_ her. Ben really loved her _that much_. Rey had let his wrist go and nodded, choking out a “yes, of cause I will” with a beaming smile. Her lips still red with blood when he kissed her. A preview of their lives to come, Ben though with a smile.  
  
After tumbling around in the bed, kissing and laughing of pure joy, Rey remembered what she had been told. Biting a hole in her finger, she drew it over the bite wound on his wrist. “There” she stated proudly, while trying to conceal a yawn. Ben kissed her forehead and tugged the bedding over her body. “Time to sleep, my darling”. Rey gave him a sleepy smile and they moved a little closer, curling up under the beddings in a loving embrace. Both feeling the blissful slumber swaddling them and finally allowing them to fall into a peaceful sleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’ve seen True Blood, you will know the ”vampire blood smeared on will heal” but i avoided the whole ”if you drink it you will get high, since… well, it just didn’t fit in here that Ben would be high as a kite when he was supposed to protect her.


End file.
